Topic: Anyone use? AEA Stereo Protractor microphone bar

[Ultfris101]

Curious if anybody has ever tried one of these: http://www.ebay.com/itm/AEA-Stereo-Protractor-6-Mini-Stereo-Mounting-Bar-/170964084887?pt=US_Stands_Mounts_Holders&hash=item27ce40e897

From the listing:

6" Stereo Microphone Bar

Forget miking frustrations! Use the Stereo Protractor mic positioner to get a stereo pair of mics just where you want them. Thanks to two simple mic attachments with reference marks, the Stereo Protractor from AEA makes it faster and easier to get the best possible (and balanced!) mic positioning for stereo or multi-channel recordings. This particular mic positioner features a 6" width and consists of two threaded mic mounts and a stand mount. AEA's Stereo Protractor is must-have tool for the professional studio.

AEA Stereo Protractor Stereo Microphone Mounting Bar Features:

    Mount and position two microphones for stereo or multi-channel recording
    Compact 6" bar for use in tight miking situations
    Engraved marks at 0, 90, 110 and 180 degrees for precise placement


Set up your stereo mic configurations quickly and easily with the AEA Stereo Protractor!"

[audBall]

No offense to AEA, but that looks like a glorified regular ol' t-bar. I'm not quite sure how the adjacent degree print is supposed to aid in the positioning of the microphones. It would have made much better sense for them to print the coordinates around the screw hole or on the washer, although that would still be difficult to align with a microphone offset 2-3" above the bar anyways. My angles are generally dictated by my location and the venue and, more often than not, deviate from 90 or 110 degrees.

I'd suggest using a regular protractor if it's that important, using the PDF that a fellow TS'er made quite a while back (if it can be found), or just printing lines on paper at specific angles to align with your mics on the bar.

edit to add - after a little thinking it appears that the adjacent markings are supposed to help with alignment from an aerial view as you position the mics (as opposed to being blocked from sight if the markings are around the screw hole), but that still seems a bit expensive for what you're actually getting.

This one is from China, but it's way cheaper (free shipping) and offers adjustable spacing:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Mic-Stereo-Bar-T-Bar-Thread-Adapter-Beam-Two-Stand-Adjustable-Drum-Mount-0598-/290687221153

[StuStu]

I just got one the other day. It seems pretty useful for when I don't want to run a NOLA/Kwon bar. Sometimes it's better to run a more narrow configuration than 90 degrees for example. I was planning on posting about this as well. I bought mine from Full Compass.

[flipp]

I'd suggest using a regular protractor if it's that important, using the PDF that a fellow TS'er made quite a while back (if it can be found), or just printing lines on paper at specific angles to align with your mics on the bar.

Lots of those reside in the taperssection.com reference section, specifically the .pdf folder. One such document (maybe even the one you are thinking of) can be found @ http://www.taperssection.com/reference/pdf/MicConfigTemplate.pdf